Cellular phone

ABSTRACT

A plurality of operation portions are arranged at a surface on a sub-display side of a cellular phone with a camera so that various kinds of setting, selection and control can be performed without opening the cellular phone in its folded state, and the cellular phone can achieve improved operability and convenience. Cellular phone includes a first display portion at a surface of a first body opposed to a second body in the folded state, and includes a second display portion, an image taking portion and a plurality of operation portions arranged at a rear surface of the first body remote from the first display portion.

This application is a Continuation of application Ser. No. 10/681,277filed on Oct. 9, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,346,376 and for whichpriority is claimed under 35 U.S.C. § 120; and this application claimspriority of Application No. 2002-299430 filed in Japan on Oct. 11, 2002under 35 U.S.C. § 119; the entire contents of all are herebyincorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a cellular phone having a function oftaking pictures.

2. Description of the Background Art

In recent years, cellular phones have been widely used. Shapes of suchcellular phones can be roughly divided into three types, i.e., astraight type, a flip type and a clamshell type. Among them, thecellular phone of the clamshell type can be small in size when it isfolded so that the needs for it are higher than those for the othertypes.

Recently, such a cellular phone has been proposed that is provided witha liquid crystal sub-display on a rear surface remote from a main liquidcrystal display, and also a cellular phone having a camera function hasbeen proposed.

FIG. 17 is a perspective view showing an external appearance of aconventional clamshell-type cellular phone 100 with a camera (ModelName: SH251i, Manufacturer: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha, released on Jun. 1,2002). Cellular phone 100 includes a first body 101 and a second body102. First body 101 and second body 102 are coupled together via a hinge103, and can be mutually turnable around hinge 103 to provide a foldablestructure. As shown in FIG. 17, cellular phone 100 is provided at firstbody 101 with a first display portion 104. First display portion 104 isarranged such that first display portion 104 is located inside cellularphone 100 in the folded state. First display portion 104 (i.e., maindisplay) comprises a liquid crystal display or an EL display, anddisplays an image based on image data, which is sent via a first displaydriver portion arranged within the body. Cellular phone 100 is providedat its rear surface of first body 101 with an antenna portion 105 and ahelical portion 106. Cellular phone 100 is provided at a side surface offirst body 101 with a second shutter button 107 for a camera function.Cellular phone 100 is further provided at its upper portion with a firstloud speaker 108, which is used for telephone conversation.

An open/close detector 109 is a detecting portion for detecting whethercellular phone 100 is in a folded state or not. A small projection 109 ais formed at a lower portion of first body 101 near hinge 103, and asmall aperture 109 b is formed at an upper portion of second body 102near hinge 103. A detection switch (not shown) is arranged withinaperture 109 b. Open/close detector 109 includes projection 109 a,aperture 109 b and the detection switch. When cellular phone 100 isfolded, projection 109 a on first body 101 enters aperture 109 b atsecond body 102, and thereby activates the detection switch (not shown)so that a control portion arranged within the body determines thatcellular phone 100 is folded.

Description will now be given on second body 102 of conventionalcellular phone 100. An input button portion 110 includes keys forentering numbers and letters. A function button group 111 is a group ofbuttons for achieving various kinds of setting and function selection inthe cellular phone. A power button 112 for power-on/off, a first shutterbutton 113 for a camera function, which will be described later, amail/guidance button 114 for a mail function and guidance display, astart and speaker-receive button 115 for starting a call andspeaker-receiving, and a multi-guide button 116 formed of a four-waybutton and a decision button, which are used for performing up/down andright/left selection as well as decision on a function selecting screen.Second body 102 is provided at its lower portion with a conversationmicrophone 117.

In the conventional cellular phone, hinge 103, function button group111, input button group 110 and conversation microphone 117 aresuccessively arranged on second body 102.

FIG. 18 is a perspective view showing an outer appearance of a rear sideof cellular phone 100 shown in FIG. 17. FIG. 19 is a perspective viewshowing an outer appearance of cellular phone 100 in a folded state.FIG. 20 is a side view showing an outer appearance of cellular phone 100in the folded state. First body 101 is provided at its rear surface witha second display portion 120, a camera portion 121, a light portion 122and antenna portion 105 already described.

Second display portion 120 is arranged to occupy an outside positionwhen cellular phone 100 is in the folded state. Second display portion120 (sub-display) comprises a liquid crystal display or an EL display.Second display portion 120 displays images based on image data sent viaa second display driver portion arranged in the body.

Camera portion 121 includes imaging lenses, an imaging element such as aCCD (Charge Coupled Device) image sensor or a CMOS (Complementary MetalOxide Semiconductor) image sensor, and RGB (i.e., tricolor) colorfilters. In camera portion 121, the color filters produce tricolor lightof RGB from the light, which are reflected by a subject and aretransmitted through the imaging lenses. As shown in FIG. 18, cameraportion 121 is arranged to occupy an outside position when cellularphone 100 is in the folded state.

Light portion 122 is used as an auxiliary light source when takingimages by camera portion 121. In general, many kinds of conventionalauxiliary light sources employ xenon tubes. In recent times, however,some kinds of auxiliary light sources employ red, green and blue LEDs,which are simultaneously turned on to emit while light.

Second body 102 is provided at its rear surface with a battery portion123 for holding a battery and a second speaker 124 for playing a ringingtone.

Referring to FIGS. 21A and 21B, description will now be given on amanner of taking pictures by conventional cellular phone 100. FIG. 21Ashows a general manner of taking a picture of a subject. A photographeropens cellular phone 100, directs camera portion 121 to the subject, anduses first display portion 104 as a finder. FIG. 21B shows a generalmanner, in which the photographer takes a picture of the photographerhimself. In this case, the photographer uses second display portion 120as a finder so that the photographer can take a picture while viewing apicture to be taken. In general, many cellular phones are configured todisplay a mirror image on second display portion 120 by laterallyinverting an original image for preventing unnatural feeling. As shownin FIG. 21A, the photographer can use either first shutter button 113 orsecond shutter button 107, which is arranged on a side surface of firstbody 101. As shown in FIG. 21B, the photographer takes a picture byoperating second shutter button 107 on cellular phone 100 in the foldedstate. However, a picture can be taken even by cellular phone 100 in anopen state. In the open state, the photographer can operate secondshutter button 107 arranged on the side surface of first body 101.

Even in the clambshell-type cellular phone with the camera, which hasthe two display portions as described above, it is still necessary ordesirable to improve the cellular phone for effective use of thesub-display by the user.

When the clambshell-type cellular phone is in the folded state, an inputportion is not available to the user except for shutter button 107arranged on the side surface of first body 101. In a camera mode,sub-display 120 is used merely as a finder. In a standby mode,sub-display 120 displays a standby screen, a clock, mail arrival andothers. However, these are merely items or matters, which were presetfor automatic display on sub-display 120 by the user operating thecellular phone in the open state.

Accordingly, when the photographer intends, e.g., to control an amountof light from light portion 122, which is arranged beside camera portion121, in a camera mode, it is necessary to open the cellular phone and tooperate keys on second body 102 while viewing a controlled amount oflight, which is displayed on main display 104. Likewise, for setting thestandby screen or the clock display, the photographer is required toopen the cellular phone and to perform such setting while viewing maindisplay 104. Further, when sub-display 120 displays arrival of a mail,the photographer is required to open the cellular phone and to view maindisplay 104 for reading contents of the mail. As described above, thedisplay is located on the outer surface of the cellular phone in thefolded state, but the operation of such display can be performed onlyafter opening the cellular phone, which is a troublesome operation forthe user.

The direction of the body of the cellular phone in the folded state isinverted from that in the open state. When the user changes the state ofcellular phone, e.g., from the folded state to the open state, the usermust change the direction or position of the cellular phone on theuser's hand.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, a feature of the invention is to provide a cellular phone,which allows effective and easy use of a sub-display by a user.

In summary, a first embodiment of the invention provides a cellularphone including a first body, a second body and a coupling portioncoupling the first body and second body together, and allowing foldingof the first body and second body with respect to each other.

The cellular phone also includes a first display portion arranged on asurface of the first body opposed to the second body in the foldedstate.

The cellular phone is further provided at a rear surface of the firstbody remote from the first display portion with a second displayportion, an image taking portion and a plurality of operation portionsfor use in the folded state of the cellular phone.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the second display portionand the plurality of operation portions, which are used when thecellular phone is in the folded state, are arranged on the outside ofthe cellular phone in the folded state. Thereby, even when the cellularphone is in the folded state, a user can perform various kinds ofselection such as selection of image taking functions and selection ofdisplay on the second display portion as well as various kinds ofchanges or the like of control magnitudes.

As described above, the user can operate the plurality of operationportions available on the folded cellular phone without opening thecellular phone, and thereby can perform selection of various functionssuch as activation of a camera, turn-on of a light and selection ofpictograph display as well as change of control magnitudes such asintensity and amount of light. Accordingly, the user using the cellularphone in the closed state can perform the selection or change of controlmagnitudes without opening the cellular phone, which improvesoperability and convenience.

Preferably, the second display portion displays an image taken by theimage-taking portion.

According to an embodiment of the invention, since the second displayportion can display the image taken by the image taking portion, controlof shooting conditions and processing of taken images can be performedby operating the above operating portions. Since the user can performthe control of shooting conditions and the processing of taken imageswithout opening the cellular phone in the folded state, the operabilityand convenience are improved.

Preferably, one of the operation portions is a shutter button.

According to an embodiment of the invention, since one of the operationportions is a shutter button, the user can operate the shutter button toperform a shooting operation. Accordingly, the user can take a pictureby the folded cellular phone without opening it, which improves theoperability and convenience.

Preferably, the operation portion is a control button for controllingshooting conditions.

According to an embodiment of the invention, since the operation portionis the control button for controlling the shooting conditions, the usercan operate the operation portion to control the shooting conditions.Therefore, the user can control the shooting conditions without openingthe folded cellular phone. This improves the operability andconvenience.

Preferably, the operation portion is an operation button for operatingdisplay by the second display portion.

According to an embodiment of the invention, since the operation portionis the operation button for operating the display by the second displayportion, the user can operate the operation portion to operate thedisplay by the second display portion. Therefore, the user can operatethe display by the second display portion without opening the foldedcellular phone. This improves the operability and convenience.

Preferably, the operation portion functions as a control button and anoperation button.

According to an embodiment of the invention, since the operation portionworks as the control button and the operation button, the user canoperate the operation portion to control the shooting conditions and tooperate the display by the second display portion. Accordingly, it isnot necessary to arrange a control button for controlling the shootingconditions and an operation button for operating display by the seconddisplay portion at different positions on the rear surface of thecellular phone, respectively, and it is merely required to arrange abutton functioning as both the buttons.

As described above, the button functioning as both the control buttonand the operation button can reduce the sizes and the number of parts ofthe cellular phone, and thereby can reduce a cost. In many cases, thecontrol button and the operation button are generally used as a“+”button (i.e., forward button) and a “−” button (backward button), whichcan be operated in a similar manner, so that the dual- or multi-purposebutton facilitates the operation by the user, and improves theoperability and convenience.

Preferably, the cellular phone further includes an illumination portionlocated on the same surface as the image taking portion. When theoperation portion is pressed for a short time, the illumination portionemits light only during the pressing. When the operation portion iscontinuously pressed for a time longer than a predetermined time, theillumination portion changes its mode into a continuous-on mode.

According to an embodiment of the invention, when the operation portionis pressed for a short time, the illumination portion emits light onlyduring the pressing. When it is continuously pressed for a long time,the illumination portion changes its state to a continuous-on state.Accordingly, the user can select the on states of the illuminationportion by pressing the operation portion for a short time or a longtime. This improves the operability and convenience. Different kinds ofcontrol can be selected in accordance with the short press and longpress, and thus it is not necessary to increase the number of operationbuttons so that it is possible to suppress the increase in cost due toincrease in size and number of parts of the cellular phone.

Preferably, the cellular phone further includes an illumination portionemitting light in a variable light color and arranged on the samesurface as the image taking portion. When the operation portion ispressed for a short time, the light color changes. When the operationportion is continuously pressed for a time longer than a predeterminedtime, the illumination portion changes its mode into a continuous-onmode.

According to an embodiment of the invention, when the user presses theoperation portion for a short time, the light color changes. When theuser presses it for a long time, the mode changes its mode into thecontinuous-on mode. Therefore, selection of the light color of theillumination portion and the on/off of the illumination portion can beselectively achieved in accordance with the short press and long pressof the operation portion. This improves the operability and convenience.Further, by selecting the control in accordance with the short press andlong press, multiple kinds of control can be achieved without increasingthe number of operation buttons so that it is possible to suppress theincrease in cost due to increase in size and number of parts of thecellular phone.

Preferably, the cellular phone includes an illumination portion and anillumination light amount control portion. The operation portion is alight amount control button for controlling an amount of light of theillumination portion.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the operation portion isthe light amount control button for controlling the amount of light ofthe illumination portion. Therefore, the user can control the amount oflight by operating the light amount control button. Accordingly, theuser can control the amount of light of the illumination portion on thefolded cellular phone without opening it, which improves the operabilityand convenience.

Preferably, the cellular phone further includes an illumination portionformed of a plurality of LEDs of different colors, and a light colorchanging portion changing the LEDs emitting light in the illuminationportion. The operation portions are light color changing buttons forchanging the light color of the illumination portion.

According to an embodiment of the invention, since the operation portionis the light color changing button for changing the light color of theillumination portion, the user can change the light color by operatingthe light color changing button. Accordingly, the user can change thelight color of the illumination portion on the folded cellular phonewithout opening it. This improves the operability and convenience.

Preferably, the cellular phone further includes an incoming call recordstoring portion storing an incoming call record. The operation portionchanges the incoming call record displayed on the second display portionto another incoming call record.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the user can change theincoming call record displayed on the second display portion to anotherincoming call record. Therefore, the user can change the incoming callrecord displayed on the second display portion without opening thefolded cellular phone. This improves the operability and convenience.

Preferably, the cellular phone further includes a control portion fordisplaying contents of a received mail on the second display portion.The operation portion selects and displays contents of another receivedmail.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the operation portion canbe operated to select and display contents of another received mail.Therefore, the user can change the received mail, of which contents aredisplayed on the second display portion, without opening the cellularphone in the folded state. This improves the operability andconvenience.

Preferably, the cellular phone further includes an antenna receivingtelevision broadcast waves, a television tuner and a television signalprocessing portion. The second display portion displays video signalssubjected to signal processing by the television signal processingportion. The operation portion is a channel selector button for changinga receive frequency of the television broadcast wave.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the second display portiondisplays the video signal subjected to the signal processing by thetelevision signal processing portion. The operation portion is thechannel selector button for changing the receive frequency of thetelevision broadcast wave. Therefore, a user can select the receivechannel by operating the operation portion.

Thereby, even when the user watches television on the second displayportion, the user is not required to open the cellular phone and tooperate numeric buttons or the like for changing the channel, and theuser can change the channel while keeping the folded state. Thisimproves the operability and convenience.

Preferably, the cellular phone further includes an audio data storingportion for storing audio data, and an audio reproduction portion forreproducing the audio data. The operation portion can be operated toreproduce the audio data in the audio data storing portion.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the operation portion canbe operated to reproduce the audio data in the audio data storingportion. Accordingly, the user can operate the cellular phone in thefolded state to reproduce the audio data without opening it.

Thereby, when the user listens to the audio data by the cellular phone,the user can change songs or tunes to be reproduced without opening thecellular phone for operating the numeric buttons or the like. Thisimproves the operability and convenience.

Preferably, the cellular phone further includes a speaker. The operationportion is a volume button for controlling a volume of the speaker.

According to an embodiment of the invention, since the operation portionis the volume button for controlling the volume of the speaker, the usercan control the volume of the speaker by the operation portion.Accordingly, the user can operate the cellular phone in the folded stateto control the volume without opening it.

Thereby, when the user listens to the audio data by the cellular phone,the user can change the volume while keeping the cellular phone in thefolded state, and is not required to open the cellular phone foroperating the numeric buttons or the like. This improves the operabilityand convenience.

Preferably, the plurality of operation portions include a control itemselecting portion and a control magnitude selecting portion.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the second display portionas well as the control item selecting portion and the control magnitudeselecting portion are arranged on the outside of the cellular phone inthe folded state. Thereby, even when the cellular phone is in the foldedstate, the user can perform selection of various kinds of items such asselection of shooting functions and selection of display by the seconddisplay portion, changing of various kinds of control magnitudes and theothers.

As described above, the user can operate the control item selectingportion without opening the cellular phone, and thereby the user canselect the control items, e.g., for control of light amount andbrightness, and can change the control magnitudes. Accordingly, the useris not required to open the cellular phone for controlling thefunctions, of which control magnitudes can be changed in the closedstate. This improves the operability and convenience.

Preferably, the second display portion displays contents of a receivedmail. The plurality of operation portions include a scroll button forlongitudinally or laterally scrolling the contents of the mail displayedon the second display portion, and a selector button for selecting anddisplaying contents of another received mail.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the cellular phone isprovided at the rear surface of the first body remote from the firstdisplay portion with the second display portion capable of display ofcontents of the received mail, the image taking portion, the scrollbutton allowing longitudinal and lateral scrolling of the contents ofthe mail displayed on the second display portion, and the selectorbutton for selecting and displaying contents of another received mail.Thereby, even when the cellular phone is in the folded state, the usercan display the mail on the second display portion, and can performscrolling of the mail and switching to another mail.

Thereby, the user can read a body of the mail by checking and displayingthe mail while keeping the cellular phone in the folded state, and theuser is not required to open the cellular phone for reading the mail onthe first display portion and for selecting the mail to be read withnumerical buttons or the like. This improves the operability andconvenience.

Preferably, the cellular phone further includes an antenna, a televisiontuner and a television signal processing portion. The second displayportion displays television pictures. The plurality of operationportions include a channel button for selecting television signal wavesdisplayed by the second display portion, and a volume button forcontrolling a sound volume.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the cellular phone includesthe antenna, the television tuner and the television signal processingportion, and is provided at the rear surface of the first body remotefrom first display portion with the second display portion capable ofdisplay of television pictures, the image taking portion, the channelbutton for selecting the television signal waves displayed on the seconddisplay portion, and the volume button for controlling the sound volume.Therefore, even when the cellular phone is in the folded state, thesecond display portion can display television pictures, and the user canselect or change the channel and volume with the channel button and thevolume button, respectively. This improves the operability andconvenience.

Preferably, the cellular phone further includes an audio data storingportion for storing audio data, and a reproducing portion forreproducing the audio data.

The plurality of operation portions include a reproduction operationportion for operating reproduction of the audio data, and a volumebutton for controlling a sound volume.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the cellular phone includesthe audio data storing portion for storing audio data, and thereproducing portion for reproducing the audio data, and is provided atthe rear surface of the first body remote from the first display portionwith the second display portion, the image taking portion, thereproduction operation portion for operating the reproduction of theaudio data and the volume button for controlling the sound volume.Therefore, even when the cellular phone is in the folded state, the usercan reproduce and/or record the audio data by operating the reproductionoperating portion and the volume control portion. This improves theoperability and convenience.

Preferably, the second display portion visually displays a controlmagnitude changeable by a user.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the second display portionvisually displays the control magnitudes changed by the user.Accordingly, the user is not required to open the cellular phone, andcan perform various kinds of control while visually checking the controlmagnitude displayed on the second display portion of the folded cellularphone.

Preferably, the plurality of operation portions attain a control mode tocontrol shooting conditions in a camera shooting mode.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the camera shooting modeincludes the control mode for controlling the shooting conditions withthe plurality of operation portions. Therefore, the user can controlbrightness, light amount and/or light color in the camera shooting modewhile viewing the second display portion of the cellular phone in thefolded state, and thereby can take pictures under the good conditionsthus controlled. Since the cellular phone can be operated while keepingthe folded state, this improves the operability and convenience.

Preferably, the plurality of operation portions attain a processing modeto process taken images before saving the images in a camera shootingmode.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the camera shooting mode ofthe cellular phone includes the processing mode for processing takenimages with the plurality of operation portions before saving theimages. Accordingly, in the camera shooting mode of the cellular phone,which is in the folded state, the user can process the taken images byoperating the plurality of operation portions before saving the images,while viewing the second display portion.

Preferably, the plurality of operation portions include a first decisionbutton, a second decision button and a third decision button.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the plurality of operationportions include the first decision button, the second decision buttonand the third decision button. By using the three buttons, therefore,the user can perform, e.g., selection of the shooting functions andselection of the display on the second display portion, and thus canperform various kinds of selection, changing of various controlmagnitudes and others.

Preferably, the plurality of operation portions include a decisionbutton, a right button and a left button.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the plurality of operationportions include the decision button, the left button and the rightbutton. By using these buttons, therefore, the user can perform, e.g.,selection of the shooting functions and selection of the display on thesecond display portion, and thus can perform various kinds of selection,changing of various control magnitudes and others.

Preferably, the plurality of operation portions include a first decisionbutton, a second decision button, a third decision button, a fourthdecision button and a fifth decision button.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the plurality of operationportions include the first decision button, the second decision button,the third decision button, the fourth decision button and the fifthdecision button. By using the five buttons, therefore, the user canperform, e.g., selection of the shooting functions and selection of thedisplay on the second display portion, and thus can perform variouskinds of selection, changing of various control magnitudes and others.

Preferably, the plurality of operation portions include a decisionbutton, an up button, a down button, a right button and a left button.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the plurality of operationportions include the decision button, the up button, the down button,the right button and the left button. By using these buttons, therefore,the user can perform, e.g., selection of the shooting functions andselection of the display on the second display portion, and thus canperform various kinds of selection, changing of various controlmagnitudes and others.

Preferably, the image taking portion, the second display portion and theplurality of operation portions are arranged at the rear surface of thefirst body remote from the first display portion, and are located in theorder of the image taking portion, the second display portion and theplurality of operation portions starting from a position near thecoupling portion.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the second display portionis arranged between the image taking portion and the operation portions(e.g., buttons) so that a certain distance is kept between the imagetaking portion and the operation portions. Thereby, such a situation canbe prevented that the user accidentally covers the image taking portionwith a user's hand, which is moved for pressing a button, in a shootingoperation. Therefore, the user can operate the respective buttonswithout giving attention to the position of the image taking portionwhen performing various kinds of setting for shooting such as zoomsetting. This improves the operability and convenience, and can preventsuch a situation that the user touches the image taking portion with afinger to scratch parts such as a lens or to cause adhesion of dust.Consequently, the durability of the cellular phone can be improved, andthe performance thereof can be maintained.

Preferably, the cellular phone further includes a plurality of numericbuttons and a plurality of operation buttons arranged on a surface ofthe second body opposed to the first body in the folded state.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the cellular phone in thefolded state includes the plurality of numeric buttons and the pluralityof operation buttons located on the surface of the second body opposedto the first body in the folded state, and includes the second displayportion, the image taking portion and the plurality of operationportions located on the rear surface of the first body remote from thefirst display portion. Therefore, when the user keeps the cellular phonein the folded state, the plurality of numeric buttons and operationbuttons are directed in the same direction as the plurality of operationportions.

Thereby, the body surface provided with the buttons is directed towardthe user even when the user merely opens the cellular phone after theuser operated the cellular phone in the folded state. Therefore, theuser can smoothly operate the cellular phone without changing itsposition or direction on the user's hand.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the second display portionand the plurality of operation portions, which are used when thecellular phone is in the folded state, are arranged on the outside ofthe cellular phone in the folded state. Thereby, even when the cellularphone is kept in the folded state, the user can perform selection ofvarious functions of such as selection of image taking functions andselection of display on the second display portion.

Without opening the cellular phone, as described above, the user canoperate the operation portions to select a plurality of functions suchas activation of the camera, turn-on of the light and selection ofpictograph display. Accordingly, the functions, which can be selected inthe closed state of the cellular phone, can be achieved without openingthe cellular phone so that the operability and convenience are improved.

According to an embodiment of the invention, since the second displayportion can display an image taken by the image taking portion, the usercan operate the operation portions to control the shooting conditionsand to process the taken images. Therefore, the user can control theshooting conditions and can process the taken images without opening thecellular phone in the folded state. This improves the operability andconvenience.

According to an embodiment of the invention, since one of the operationportions is the shutter button, the user can perform the shootingoperation by operating the shutter button thus formed. Therefore, theuser can take a picture by the cellular phone in the folded statewithout opening it. Since the second display portion and the shutterbutton are located on the same surface, the user can easily operate theshutter button to take a picture. This improves the operability andconvenience.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the operation portion isthe control button for controlling the shooting conditions. Therefore,the user can control the shooting conditions by manipulating theoperation portion. Accordingly, the user can control the shootingconditions without opening the cellular phone in the folded state. Thisimproves the operability and convenience.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the operation portion isthe operation button for operating the display by the second displayportion. Therefore, the user can operate the operation portion tooperate the display by the second display portion. Accordingly, the usercan operate the display by the second display portion without openingthe cellular phone in the folded state. This improves the operabilityand convenience.

According to an embodiment of the invention, since the operation portionfunctions as the control button and the operation button, the user canmanipulate the operation portion to control the shooting conditions andto operate the display by the second display portion. Accordingly, it isnot necessary to arrange a control button for controlling the shootingconditions and an operation button for operating display by the seconddisplay portion at different positions on the rear surface of thecellular phone, respectively, and it is merely required to arrange abutton serving as both the buttons.

As described above, the button serving as both the control button andthe operation button can reduce the sizes and the number of parts of thecellular phone, and thereby can reduce a cost. In many cases, thecontrol button and the operation button are generally used as a “+”button (i.e., forward button) and a “−” button (backward button), whichcan be operated in a similar manner. Therefore, the dual- ormulti-purpose button described above facilitates the operation by theuser, as compared with the case employing independent buttons.Accordingly, the operability and convenience are improved.

According to an embodiment of the invention, when the user presses theoperation portion for a short time, the illumination portion emits lightonly during the pressing. When the user continuously presses theoperation portion for a long time, the illumination portion changes itsstate to a continuous-on state. Accordingly, the user can select thestate of the illumination portion by pressing the operation portion foreither a short time or a long time. This improves the operability andconvenience. Since different kinds of control can be selected inaccordance with the short press and long press, and thus it is notnecessary to increase the number of buttons. Therefore, it is possibleto suppress the increase in cost due to increase in size and number ofparts of the cellular phone.

According to an embodiment of the invention, when the user presses theoperation portion for a short time, the illumination portion changes itslight color. When the user presses it for a long time, the illuminationportion changes its mode into the continuous-on mode. Therefore, theuser can selectively achieve the selection of the light color of theillumination portion and turn-on/off of the illumination portion inaccordance with either the short press or long press of the operationportion. This improves the operability and convenience. Further, byselecting the control in accordance with either the short press or longpress, multiple kinds of control can be achieved without increasing thenumber of operation buttons so that it is possible to suppress theincrease in cost due to increase in size and number of parts of thecellular phone.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the operation portion isthe light amount control button for controlling the amount of light ofthe illumination portion. Therefore, the user can control the amount oflight by operating the light amount control button. Accordingly, theuser can control the amount of light of the illumination portion on thefolded cellular phone without opening it. This improves the operabilityand convenience.

According to an embodiment of the invention, since the operation portionis the light color changing button for changing the light color of theillumination portion, the user can change the light color by operatingthe light color changing button. Accordingly, the user can change thelight color of the illumination portion on the folded cellular phonewithout opening it. This improves the operability and convenience.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the user can change theincoming call record displayed on the second display portion to anotherincoming call record. Therefore, the user can change the incoming callrecord displayed on the second display portion without opening thefolded cellular phone. This improves the operability and convenience.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the operation portion canbe operated to select and display contents of another received mail.Therefore, the user can change the received mail, of which contents aredisplayed on the second display portion, without opening the cellularphone in the folded state. This improves the operability andconvenience.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the second display portiondisplays the video signal subjected to the signal processing by thetelevision signal processing portion. The operation portion is thechannel selector button for changing the receive frequency of thetelevision broadcast wave. Therefore, the user can select the receivechannel by manipulating the operation portion.

Thereby, even when the user watches television on the second displayportion, the user is not required to open the cellular phone and tooperate numeric buttons or the like for changing the channel, and theuser can change the channel while keeping the folded state.Consequently, the operability and convenience are improved.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the operation portion canbe operated to reproduce the audio data in the audio data storingportion. Accordingly, the user can operate the cellular phone in thefolded state to reproduce the audio data without opening it.

Thereby, when the user listens to the audio data by the cellular phone,the user can change songs or tunes to be reproduced without opening thecellular phone for operating the numeric buttons or the like. Thisimproves the operability and convenience.

According to an embodiment of the invention, since the operation portionis the volume button for controlling the volume of the speaker, the usercan control the volume of the speaker by the operation portion.Accordingly, the user can operate the cellular phone in the folded stateto control the volume without opening it.

Thereby, when the user listens to the audio data by the cellular phone,the user can change the volume while keeping the cellular phone in thefolded state, and is not required to open the cellular phone foroperating the numeric buttons or the like. This improves the operabilityand convenience.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the cellular phone includesthe second display portion, the control item selecting portion and thecontrol magnitude selecting portion arranged on the outside of thecellular phone in the folded state. Thereby, even when the cellularphone is in the folded state, the user can perform selection of variouskinds of items such as selection of shooting functions and display bythe second display portion, changing of various kinds of controlmagnitudes and the others.

Without opening the cellular phone, as described above, the user canoperate the control item selecting portion to select the control items,e.g., for control of light amount and brightness, and can operate thecontrol magnitude selecting portion to change the control magnitudes.Since the selection of the control items is independent of the selectionof the control magnitudes, the user can easily operate them. Theselection of the control items and the change of the control magnitudescan be performed while keeping the cellular phone in the closed state,and it is not necessary to open the cellular phone for such operations.This improves the operability and convenience.

According to an embodiment of the invention, since the second displayportion displays the image taken by the image taking portion, the usercan perform various kinds of control while viewing the image, which istaken by the cellular phone and is displayed on the second displayportion. Thereby, even when the cellular phone is in the folded state,the user can perform the selection of various control items, change ofcontrol magnitudes, processing and others for the images taken by theimage taking portion. This improves the operability and convenience.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the cellular phone isprovided at the rear surface of the first body remote from the firstdisplay portion with the second display portion capable of display ofcontents of the received mail, the image taking portion, the scrollbutton allowing longitudinal and lateral scrolling of the contents ofthe mail displayed on the second display portion, and the selectorbutton for selecting and displaying contents of another received mail.Thereby, even when the cellular phone is in the folded state, the usercan display the mail on the second display portion, and can performscrolling of the mail and switching to another mail.

Thereby, the user can read a body of the mail by checking and displayingthe mail on the second display portion while keeping the cellular phonein the folded state, and the user is not required to open the cellularphone for reading the mail on the first display portion and forselecting the mail to be read with numerical buttons or the like. Thisimproves the operability and convenience.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the cellular phone includesthe antenna, the television tuner and the television signal processingportion, and is provided at the rear surface of the first body remotefrom first display portion with the second display portion capable ofdisplay of television pictures, the image taking portion, the channelbutton for selecting the television signal waves displayed on the seconddisplay portion, and the volume button for controlling the sound volume.Therefore, even when the cellular phone is in the folded state, thesecond display portion can display television pictures, and the user canselect or change the channel and volume with the channel button and thevolume button, respectively. This improves the operability andconvenience.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the cellular phone includesthe audio data storing portion for storing the audio data, and thereproducing portion for reproducing the audio data, and is provided atthe rear surface of the first body remote from the first display portionwith the second display portion, the image taking portion, thereproduction operation portion for operating the reproduction of theaudio data and the volume button for controlling the sound volume.Therefore, even when the cellular phone is in the folded state, the usercan reproduce and/or record the audio data by operating the reproductionoperating portion and the volume control portion. This improves theoperability and convenience.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the second display portionvisually displays the control magnitudes changed by the user.Accordingly, the user is not required to open the cellular phone, andcan perform various kinds of control while visually checking the controlmagnitude displayed on the second display portion of the folded cellularphone. As described above, the second display portion visuallydisplaying the control magnitudes and the operation portion are arrangedon the same surface so that the user can manipulate the operationportion while viewing the control magnitude on the cellular phone keptin the folded state.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the camera shooting mode ofthe cellular phone includes the control mode for controlling theshooting conditions with the plurality of operation portions. Therefore,the user can control brightness, light amount and/or light color in thecamera shooting mode while viewing the second display portion of thecellular phone in the folded state, and thereby can take pictures underthe good conditions thus controlled. Since the user can operate thecellular phone while keeping it in the folded state, this improves theoperability and convenience.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the camera shooting mode ofthe cellular phone includes the processing mode for processing takenimages with the plurality of operation portions before saving theimages. Accordingly, in the camera shooting mode of the cellular phone,which is in the folded state, the user can process the taken images byoperating the plurality of operation portions before saving the images,while viewing the second display portion.

As described above, the user can process the image while viewing thesecond display portion, before the image taken by the user is saved.Thereby, the cellular phone can save the image, which is subjected tothe image control and processing by the user. Accordingly, when the userintends to control and/or process the taken image immediately after theshooting, such an operation is not required that the image already savedis read for the image control and/or processing so that the operabilityand convenience are improved.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the plurality of operationportions include the first button, the second button and the thirddecision button. Thereby, the user can perform, e.g., selection of theshooting functions and selection of the display on the second displayportion on the cellular phone in the folded state, and thus can performselection of various functions.

Without opening the cellular phone, as described above, the user canoperate the first to third decision buttons to select a plurality offunctions such as activation of the camera, turn-on of the light andselection of pictograph display. Accordingly, the functions, which canbe selected in the closed state of the cellular phone, can be achievedwithout opening the cellular phone so that the operability andconvenience are improved.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the plurality of operationportions include the decision button, the right button and the leftbutton. Therefore, the user can change the control magnitude by usingthe right and left buttons when controlling the shooting conditions orselecting the display setting of the second display portion even whenthe cellular phone is in the folded state.

Without opening the cellular phone, the user can perform selection ofsetting and change of the control magnitude by pressing the decisionbutton as well as the right and left buttons. Accordingly, thefunctions, in which control magnitudes can be changed in the closedstate of the cellular phone, can be achieved without opening thecellular phone so that the operability and convenience are improved.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the plurality of operationportions include the first decision button, the second decision button,the third decision button, the fourth decision button and the fifthdecision button. Thereby, the user can perform, e.g., selection of theshooting functions and selection of the display on the second displayportion, and thus can perform selection of various functions even whenthe cellular phone is in the folded state.

As described above, by pressing the first decision button, the seconddecision button, the third decision button, the fourth decision buttonand the fifth decision button, the user can select various functionswithout opening the cellular phone, and more specifically can performselection of a menu mode, setting of the key-locked state, turn-on/offof the light, activation of the camera, turn-on of the light, selectionof the pictograph display and others. Therefore, the functions, whichcan be selected in the closed state of the cellular phone, can beachieved without opening the cellular phone so that the operability andconvenience are improved.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the plurality of operationportions include the decision button, the up button, the down button,the left button and the right button. Thereby, even when the cellularphone is in the folded state, the user can control the shootingconditions, and can set the display by the second display portion insuch a manner that the control items are selected with the up button andthe down button, the control magnitude is changed with the right buttonand the left button, and the change thus made is decided with thedecision button.

As described above, the user can press the up or down button, the rightor left button and the decision button without opening the cellularphone, and thereby can select items for control or setting, can changethe control magnitude and can fix the change. Accordingly, thefunctions, in which the control magnitude can be changed in the closedstate of the cellular phone, can be achieved without opening thecellular phone so that the operability and convenience are improved.Since the button for selecting the setting items is independent of thebutton for changing the control magnitude, this facilities the settingoperation by the user.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the second display portionis arranged between the image taking portion and the buttons so that acertain distance is kept between the image taking portion and eachbutton. Thereby, such a situation can be prevented that a useraccidentally covers the image taking portion with the user's hand, whichis moved for pressing a button, in the shooting operation. Therefore,the user can operate the respective buttons without giving attention tothe position of the image taking portion when performing various kindsof setting for shooting such as zoom setting. This improves theoperability and convenience. Further, such a situation can be preventedthat the user touches the image taking portion with his/her finger toscratch parts such as a lens or to cause adhesion of dust. Consequently,the durability of the cellular phone can be improved, and theperformance thereof can be maintained.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the cellular phone in thefolded state includes the plurality of numeric buttons and the pluralityof operation buttons located on the surface of the second body opposedto the first body in the folded state, and includes the second displayportion, the image taking portion and the plurality of operationportions located on the rear surface of the first body remote from thefirst display portion. Therefore, when the user keeps the cellular phonein the folded state, the plurality of numeric buttons and operationbuttons are directed in the same direction as the plurality of operationportions.

Thereby, the body surface provided with the buttons is directed towardthe user even when the user merely opens the cellular phone after theuser operated the cellular phone in the folded state. Therefore, theuser can smoothly operate the cellular phone without changing itsposition or direction on the user's hand.

The foregoing and other features, aspects and advantages of the presentinvention will become more apparent from the following detaileddescription of the present invention when taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an outer appearance of a cellularphone according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a perspective rear view showing an outer appearance of thecellular phone according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an outer appearance of the foldedcellular phone according to an embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a side view showing an outer appearance of the folded cellularphone according to an embodiment.

FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate a manner of using the cellular phoneaccording to the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a cross section of the cellular phone according to theembodiment.

FIGS. 7A and 7B are a cross section and a perspective view showinganother example of a cellular phone according to the embodiment,respectively.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating a structure of the cellular phoneaccording to the embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a table illustrating allocation of button operations of thecellular phone according to the embodiment.

FIG. 10 shows a pictograph display screen of the cellular phoneaccording to the embodiment.

FIGS. 11A and 11B show a light amount control screen of the cellularphone according to the embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating light amount control steps in thecellular phone according to the embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating mail checking steps in the cellularphone according to the embodiment.

FIG. 14 is an elevation showing an outer appearance of another cellularphone in the folded state according to the embodiment.

FIG. 15 is a table illustrating allocation of button operations ofanother cellular phone according to the embodiment.

FIG. 16 is a table illustrating allocation of button operations of stillanother cellular phone according to the embodiment.

FIG. 17 is a perspective view showing an outer appearance of aconventional cellular phone.

FIG. 18 is a perspective rear view showing an outer appearance of theconventional cellular phone.

FIG. 19 is a perspective view showing an outer appearance of theconventional cellular phone in the folded state.

FIG. 20 is a side view showing an outer appearance of the conventionalcellular phone in the folded state.

FIGS. 21A and 21B illustrate a manner of using the conventional cellularphone.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to thedrawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an outer appearance of acellular phone 1 of a clamshell type provided with a camera according toan embodiment of the invention. Cellular phone 1 comprises a first body2 and a second body 3. First body 2 is coupled to second body 3 via ahinge 4. First body 2 and second body 3 are rotatable around hinge 4,and thus provide a foldable structure as shown in FIG. 3.

Referring to FIG. 1, cellular phone 1 comprises first body 2 with afirst display portion 5. First display portion 5 is arranged to occupyan inside position when cellular phone 1 is in the folded state. Firstdisplay portion 5 comprises a liquid crystal display, an EL (ElectroLuminescent) display or the like. First display portion 5 displays animage based on image data provided via a first display driver portion43, which will be described later. A speaker 6 is arranged above firstdisplay portion 5 for use in telephone conversation and others.

Description will now be given on second body 3 of cellular phone of anembodiment of the invention. Second body 3 comprises an input buttongroup 7 formed of keys or the like to be used for entering numbers,letters and others, a function button group 8 for performing variouskinds of setting and function selection in cellular phone 1, a powerbutton 9 for power-on/off, a first shutter button 10 to be operated forenabling a shutter function, a mail/guidance button 11 for selecting amail function and performing guidance display, astart/speaker-conversation button 12 for starting a call and performingconversation via the speaker, and a multi-guide button 13 having afour-way button and a decision button for performing longitudinal andlateral selection on a function select screen and for deciding theselection. These buttons can be operated by a user. Further, second body3 is provided at its lower portion with a microphone 14.

Usually, hinge 4, function button group 8, input button group 7 andconversation microphone 14 are arranged in this order on second body 3of cellular phone 1. However, the order is not restricted to the above.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, first body 2 is provided at its rear surfaceremote from first display portion 5 with a camera portion 21 and a lightportion 22, which are close to hinge 4, and is also provided at the rearsurface with a second display portion 20 spaced from hinge 4 as well asa second shutter button 23 and second operation buttons 24 a and 24 b,which are further spaced from hinge 4.

Second display portion 20 is arranged to occupy an outside position onthe body of cellular phone 1 in the folded state. The second displayportion 20 comprises a liquid crystal display, an EL display or thelike. In this embodiment, second display portion 20 has a display regionsmaller than that of first display portion 5. However, the displayregion of second display portion 20 may be larger than or equal to thatof first display portion 5. Second display portion 20 displays imagesbased on image data, which is obtained by photographing and is providedvia a second display driver portion 44 to be described later, and alsodisplays images based on data of character images for informing the userof a time, a radio wave intensity, a mail reception and others.

As described above, each of first display portion 5 and second displayportion 20 is arranged at the surface of first body 2 or second body 3,which is exposed externally in the open or unfolded state, with thedisplay screen directed externally. In particular, second displayportion 20 is arranged at the surface, which is exposed externally, offirst body 2 or second body 3 in the folded state such that seconddisplay portion 20 is directed externally in the folded state.

For displaying images, second display driver portion 44 sends the imagedata to second display portion 20, and the image based on the image datais displayed such that an upper side of the image is located near hinge4. Since second display portion 20 displays the image such that theupper side thereof is located near hinge 4, the user using cellularphone 1 in the folded state locates hinge 4 in the upper position sothat the direction of second body 3 does not change when the userchanges the state of cellular phone 1 between the open state and theclosed state. In other words, the user is not required to change thedirection or position of cellular phone 1 on the user's hand each timethe user opens or closes cellular phone 1. Consequently, operability andconvenience are improved. The images displayed on second display portion20 include images taken or obtained by shooting. Therefore, the user canview such taken images without the necessity of changing the directionor position of cellular phone 1 on the user's hand. This improves theoperability and convenience.

As described below, the antenna is arranged in a position other than aconventional position, i.e., a position on a rear surface of first body2. This eliminates or reduces restrictions on the rear surface of firstbody 2 so that second display portion 20 can be larger in size than thatof a conventional structure. Accordingly, it can display a larger amountof information such as text and taken images. Further, cellular phone 1includes a second operation button group 24. Therefore, even whencellular phone 1 is in the closed state, the user can operate cellularphone 1 to display various images on second display portion 20 forchecking contents of mails, referring to an address book or successivelydisplaying a plurality of images. The images displayed on second displayportion 20 include taken images, i.e., images taken by shootingoperations. Even when cellular phone 1 is in the folded state, the usercan check the taken image on the large screen of second display portion20. Therefore, the user is not required to open or close cellular phone1 for viewing the taken image, which improves the operability andconvenience.

Camera portion 21 includes picture taking lenses, a picture takingelement such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) image sensor or a CMOS(Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) image sensor, and RGB (i.e.,red, green and blue) color filters. For the sake of simplicity, it isassumed that camera portion 21 in this embodiment has a CCD image sensor29, which will be merely referred to as “CCD 29” hereinafter, as theimage taking element. In camera portion 21, the light reflected by asubject passes through the picture taking lenses, and is converted bythe color filters into RGB light rays, which enter CCD 29. As shown inFIG. 3, when cellular phone 1 is in the folded state, camera portion 21arranged on the rear surface remote from first display portion 5 islocated between hinge 4 and second display portion 20. For taking apicture by camera portion 21 while keeping cellular phone 1 in the openstate, the user holds second body 3.

Owing to the above arrangement, camera portion 21 is located near hinge4. When the user holds first body 2, the user supports a portion nearcamera portion 21 so that it is possible to reduce an influence, whichmay be caused by unstable holding with the user's hand during a shootingoperation. Further, the antenna is removed from the rear surface offirst body 2 so that second display portion 20 can have a large size.When shooting a subject, the user can easily check a self-portrait on alarge screen while suppressing an influence by unstable holding.

Light portion 22 is used as an auxiliary light source for taking apicture by camera portion 21. In general, xenon lamps have been oftenused as auxiliary light sources. However, RGB LEDs (Light EmittingDiodes) are currently used in some cases. Cellular phone 1 may employsuch LEDs, and the LEDs can be simultaneously turned on to provide whitelight illumination.

Second shutter button 23 is arranged at a center of the rear surfaceremote from first display portion 5 of first body 2, and is locatedunder second display portion 20 when cellular phone 1 is in the foldedstate as shown in FIG. 3. Owing to this position of second shutterbutton 23, the user can easily determine the position of shutter button23 on folded cellular phone 1, and can easily operate the shutter.

In a conventional structure, a user must find a shutter button, which ishard to find due to its small size and its position, e.g., on a sidesurface of a first body. However, the embodiment does not require such afinding operation. Therefore, the operability and convenience areimproved.

Second operation buttons 24 a and 24 b are arranged on the oppositesides of second shutter button 23 for setting or operating various kindsof data while checking information displayed on second display portion20. By arranging second operation button group 24 in this position, theuser can easily determine the positions of second operation buttons 24 aand 24 b on cellular phone 1 in the folded state, and can easily operatesecond operation buttons 24 a and 24 b.

Second shutter button 23 and second operation buttons 24 a and 24 b areutilized as operation buttons to be operated by the user for turningon/off various functions and determining decision and end of specificoperations. In cellular phone 1 of an embodiment of the invention, thesebuttons can be utilized, e.g., for activating the light, turning on/offthe light, selecting menu screens, turning on/off pictograph display,activating the camera, turning on/off key-lock, deciding selection,ending display, displaying mail body, selecting control items, playingand stopping MP3, and changing the light color.

Second operation buttons 24 a and 24 b can be utilized as controlbuttons, which are operated by the user to achieve changing (e.g.,up/down and forward/backward) of control magnitudes of variousfunctions. In cellular phone 1 of an embodiment of the invention,buttons 24 a and 24 b are utilized to perform, for example, selectionand forward/backward changes on a menu screen, forward/backward changeof various display images, up/down of light amount, forward/backwardchange of light color, forward/backward change of the incoming callrecord, incoming mail record and others, up/down of the TV channel,selection of backward/forward and next/previous in MP3 play, volumeup/down, and zoom-in/out in zoom control. Second operation buttons 24 aand 24 b are control buttons, and primarily have functions as plus- andminus-buttons for various kinds of control magnitudes. In thisembodiment, second shutter button 23 is not utilized as a controlbutton. However, this is not restrictive, and second shutter button 23may be utilized similarly.

As described above, the user can use second shutter button 23 and secondoperation buttons 24 a and 24 b without opening cellular phone 1, andthereby can perform the selection of a plurality of functions such asactivation of the camera, turn-on of the light or change of pictographdisplay as well as the change of control magnitudes. Accordingly, it isnot necessary to open cellular phone 1 for executing the functions,which can be changed on cellular phone 1 in the closed state, so thatoperability and convenience are improved.

Further, second display portion 20 can display images taken by cameraportion 21. Therefore, the user can control shooting conditions and canprocess taken images by operating second shutter button 23 and secondoperation buttons 24 a and 24 b. Accordingly, the user can control theshooting conditions and can process the taken images on folded cellularphone 1 without opening it so that the operability and convenience areimproved.

By employing the buttons serving as both the operation buttons and thecontrol buttons, it is possible to reduce the sizes and the number ofparts of cellular phone 1, and thereby can reduce the cost. The controlbutton and the operation button are generally used as a “+” button(i.e., forward button) and a “−” button (backward button) in many cases,and can be operated in a similar manner so that the dual- ormulti-purpose buttons are preferable. Thereby, the user can easilyoperate cellular phone 1 so that the operability and convenience areimproved.

An antenna portion 25, an extendable helical portion 26, a batteryportion 27 for carrying a battery and a second speaker 28 for sounding aringer toner are arranged at the rear surface of second body 3 remotefrom input button group 7 and function button group 8.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, first body 2 is mechanically coupled tosecond body 3 via hinge 4. A flexible circuit board (not shown) isarranged within hinge 4 for electrically connecting first body 2 andsecond body 3 together. A connector is arranged in a portion of firstbody 2 near hinge 4 for connecting the flexible circuit board and cablesto several substrates arranged within first body 2. The thickness ofthis connector affects the thickness of first body 2 more significantlythan the others. Meanwhile, the thickness of camera portion 21 issmaller than that of the connector. Therefore, even if camera portion 21is arranged near the connector, it does not affect the thickness offirst body 2. In a conventional cellular phone, a camera portion isarranged near an end (lower end in FIG. 3) of first body 2 so that thethickness of the camera portion determines the thickness of the portionnear the end of first body 2 except for the antenna portion. However,camera portion 21 is arranged between antenna portion 25 and seconddisplay portion 20 and thus near hinge 4 so that the central portion offirst body 2 can ensure the thickness of second display portion 20, andthe thickness and other sizes can be further reduced in the portion offirst body 2 near its end. As shown in FIG. 4, the thickness of firstbody 2 curvedly decreases as the position moves from a central portiontoward the end portion. Owing to this configuration or form, in whichthe thickness is reduced in the portion of first body 2 near its end,and thus in the lower portion of cellular phone 1 in the folded state,the user can easily put cellular phone 1, e.g., into a pocket so thatthe operability and convenience are improved.

Since second display portion 20 is arranged between camera portion 21and second shutter button 23 or second operation buttons 24 a and 24 b,camera portion 21 can be spaced by a constant distance from secondshutter button 23 or second operation buttons 24 a and 24 b. Thereby,such a situation can be prevented that a user accidentally touchescamera portion 21 or covers a sight of camera portion 21 with the user'sfinger when the user manipulates second shutter button 23 or secondoperation buttons 24 a and 24 b. Thus, it is possible to prevent such asituation that the user touches camera portion 21 with a finger toscratch parts such as a lens or to cause adhesion of dust. Consequently,the durability of the cellular phone can be improved, and theperformance thereof can be maintained.

Further, cellular phone 1 is configured such that the user can holdfolded cellular phone 1 with hinge 4 located in the upper position sothat the user holding folded cellular phone 1 does not cover cameraportion 21 with the user's hand. Therefore, the user can hold cellularphone 1 without giving attention to the position of camera portion 21.

Manners of taking a picture by cellular phone 1 according to theembodiment of the invention will now be described with reference toFIGS. 5A and 5B. In a general manner of taking a picture of a subject 30shown in FIG. 5A, the user opens cellular phone 1, and directs cameraportion 21 to subject 30 for taking a picture while using first displayportion 5 as a finder. Although first shutter button 10 is generallyused for operating the shutter, second shutter button 23 arranged on therear surface of first body 2 can be used. FIG. 5B shows a general mannerof taking a picture of the user himself by camera portion 21. In thismanner, the user uses second display portion 20 as a finder, and canoperate the shutter by pressing second shutter button 23 while viewingan obtained image of the user himself.

In general, when a cellular phone displays an image on second displayportion 20, it displays a mirror image, i.e., a laterally inverted imageso that the user may not feel unnatural when viewing the image. In theinvention, however, the manner is not restricted to this. According tothe embodiment of the invention, the user can take a picture of the userhimself/herself by cellular phone 1 in the folded state, which improvesoperability and usability. The state of cellular phone 1 for taking apicture of the user is not restricted to the folded state, and the usercan take a picture by cellular phone 1 in the open state.

The buttons are arranged at the same surfaces of first body 2 and secondbody 3 of cellular phone 1 in the folded state. Therefore, when the useropens and operates cellular phone 1 after operating it in the foldedstate, and vice versa, the user can execute an entry operation viabuttons immediately after opening or closing first body 2 whilecontinuously holding second body 3. Thus, the user can smoothly operatecellular phone 1 without changing its position on the hand.

Description will now be given on antenna portion 25 of cellular phone 1according to the embodiment of the invention. FIG. 6 is a cross sectionof second body 3 of cellular phone 1. A whip portion 30 of antennaportion 25 is retractably arranged in the left end portion of secondbody 3. Helical portion 26 is located outside the body. Whip portion 30and helical portion 26 can be pulled out from second body 3 inaccordance with an intensity of radio waves in the communicationoperation. Antenna portion 25 is not restricted to the above structureincluding whip portion 30 and helical portion 26. For example, as shownin FIGS. 7A and 7B, an internal antenna 32 having an inverted-F form maybe arranged in an upper portion of second body 3 near hinge 4 (FIG. 7A)or an upper portion of first body 2 (FIG. 7B).

The internal structure of cellular phone 1 will now be described withreference to an internal block diagram of FIG. 8. Cellular phone 1includes first display portion 5, second display portion 20, firstshutter button 10, second shutter button 23, camera portion 21, lightportion 22 having a red LED 22R, a green LED 22G and a blue LED 22B,antenna portion 25, speaker portion 28, a radio portion 50, acommunication control portion 51, a first memory 42, a second memory 48,a third memory 52, first display driver portion 43, second displaydriver portion 44, a first backlight 45, a second backlight 46, acontrol portion 40, which includes an audio reproduction portion 40A, anillumination light amount control portion 40B and a light color changingportion 40C for controlling functions of various portions, an imageprocessing portion 41, an inversion processing portion 41A, a firstoperation button group 47, second operation button group 24 and anopen/close detecting portion 49.

Control portion 40 controls functions of various portions such as afunction of the shutter operation, a backlight function, an auxiliarylight source function and a display function. Image processing portion41 has an amplifier portion (not shown), an A/D (Analog-to-Digital)converting portion and a signal processing portion, and also includesinversion processing portion 41A. The amplifier portion amplifieselectric signals corresponding to the RGB provided from camera portion21, and provides the amplified signals to the A/D converting portion.The A/D converting portion converts the electric analog signals, whichcorrespond to the RGB and are amplified by the amplifier portion, todigital signals, and thereby provides image data to the signalprocessing portion. The signal processing portion effects signalprocessing such as pixel interpolating processing on the image dataprovided from the A/D converting portion, and provides the data thusprocessed to inverting processing portion 41A. When inverting processingportion 41A receives the image data and control portion 40 issues aninversion control signal 55, inverting processing portion 41A effects180-degree inversion on the provided image data to rotate thecorresponding image by 180 degrees. When inverting processing portion41A does not receive inversion control signal 55, inverting processingportion 41A outputs the input image data as it is. The image dataprovided from inverting processing portion 41A is provided to firstmemory 42 and second memory 48.

Camera portion 21 and image processing portion 41 form the picturetaking portion, which receives light reflected by subject 30, convertsit to electric signals and provides the signals as image data of eachframe. First memory 42 and second memory 48 temporarily store the imagedata of a plurality of frames, which are successively provided, underthe control of control portion 40. For example, for receiving andstoring image data, which is newly provided, the control is performed todelete image data, which is included in a plurality of data stored infirst memory 42 and second memory 48 and has been stored for a longtime, or to overwrite such image data with the received new image data.

Control portion 40 sends the control signal to first display driverportion 43 and second display driver portion 44, and reads the imagedata stored in first memory 42 and second memory 48 to provide the readdata to first display driver portion 43 and second display driverportion 44, respectively. The first display driver portion 43 and seconddisplay driver portion 44 apply drive voltages to pixel electrodes infirst display portion 5 and second display portion 20 in accordance withthe data to be displayed on first display portion 5 and second displayportion 20, and thus in accordance with the data read from first memory42 and second memory 48.

First backlight 45 and second backlight 46 include light-emittingelements such as light-emitting diodes, and emit the light to firstdisplay portion 5 and second display portion 20 for increasingbrightness of the displayed images, respectively. Control portion 40controls the turn-on/off of first backlight 45 and second backlight 46,and also controls the brightness thereof. Each of first backlight 45 andsecond backlight 46 can be controlled independently of each other.Control is performed to turn on first backlight 45 when first displayportion 5 displays images. When second display portion 20 displaysimages, control to performed to turn on second backlight 46. Firstbacklight 45 and second backlight 46 may be configured to keep the onstate until the user performs a predetermined operation for turn-off.Also, first backlight 45 and second backlight 46 may be turned off whena predetermined time elapses after turn-on.

First operation button group 47 includes input button group 7 andfunction button group 8 arranged on second body 3 already described.Second operation button group 24 includes operation buttons 24 a and 24b arranged on first body 2.

First shutter button 10 and second shutter button 23 can be pressed forperforming the shutter operation. When first (or second) shutter button10 (or 23) is pressed, a shutter instruction 56 (or 57) is sent tocontrol portion 40. When control portion 40 receives shutter instruction56 (or 57), control portion 40 reads out the image data, which is to bestored according to the user's request, from the plurality of imagedata, which were continuously written into first memory 42 and secondmemory 48 for temporary storage, and writes it into third memory 52.Thereby, third memory 52 stores the image data requested by the user.For the sake of simplicity, it is assumed that the latest image datastored in first memory 42 and second memory 48 are read and stored inthird memory 52.

Open/close detecting portion 49 determines whether cellular phone 1 isfolded or not. A detection switch (not shown) for detecting the open andclosed states is arranged within hinge 4. A detection signal 53corresponding to the detected state (open state or closed state) is sentto control portion 40. Control portion 40 determines, based on detectionsignal 53 sent from the detection switch, whether cellular phone 1 isfolded (closed) or open.

When performing radio communication with a base station (not shown) viaradio waves, antenna portion 25, radio portion 50 and communicationcontrol portion 51 send and receive voice data, text data, image dataand others under the control of control portion 40. Control portion 40stores the data thus received in third memory 52.

Referring to FIG. 8, cellular phone 1 according to the embodiment of theinvention can receive television signals. Cellular phone 1 includes ademultiplexer 58 for separating radio communication waves and televisionbroadcast signal waves from radio waves received on antenna portion 25.Demultiplexer 58 sends the radio communication waves to radio portion50, and sends the television signal broadcast waves to a tuner 59. Tuner59 receiving the television signal broadcast waves provides the signalsof the received channel to a signal processing circuit 60. Signalprocessing circuit 60 separates video signals and audio signals from thesignals received from tuner 59. Under the control of control portion 40,the video signals are provided to first display portion 5 or seconddisplay portion 20. Under the control of control portion 40, the audiosignals are provided to first speaker 6 or second speaker 28.

The user can change the receive channel to an intended channel bypressing first operation button group 47 or second operation buttongroup 24. Based on the press of first operation button group 47 orsecond operation button group 24, the control portion sends a controlsignal to tuner 59 for controlling change of the receive channel. Tuner59 changes the channel based on the control signal.

Control portion 40 changes the display portion, which displays imagesbased on the image data temporarily stored in the first memory, based onresults of detection by open/close detecting portion 49. When open/closedetecting portion 49 detects that cellular phone 1 is in the foldedstate, control portion 40 provides image data received from first memory42 to second display driver portion 44, and displays an image on seconddisplay portion 20. When open/close detecting portion 49 detects thatcellular phone 1 is not folded (i.e., is open), control portion 40provides the image data received from first memory 42 to first displaydriver portion 43, and displays an image on first display portion 5.

As described above, when cellular phone 1 is folded, the shootingdirection of camera portion 21 is directed outward. For taking a pictureof a subject other than the user of cellular phone 1, the user openscellular phone 1, and directs camera portion 21 to subject 30 oppositeto the user, as shown in FIG. 5A. In this state, first display portion 5displays an image based on the image data provided from camera portion21. Thereby, the user can use first display portion 5 as a finder duringthe image taking operation.

For taking an image of the user himself, the user keeps cellular phone 1in the folded state, and directs camera portion 21 to the user fortaking a picture, as shown in FIG. 5B. In this state, second displayportion 20 displays the image based on the image data provided fromcamera portion 21. Thereby, the user can use second display portion 20as a finder.

According to cellular phone 1 of the embodiment of the invention, theuser can merely open or close first body 2 of cellular phone 1 whilekeeping second body 3 in a fixed position, and thereby the portion,which is to be used as a finder during the image taking operation, canbe appropriately switched between display portions 5 and 20 to allow theshooting operation. For changing the subject, therefore, the user is notrequired to change the position or direction of second body 3 on theuser's hand, in contrast to a conventional cellular phone. Consequently,the user can change the subject with less labor, and the operability andconvenience are improved.

Description will now be given on control of first backlight 45 andsecond backlight 46.

Control portion 40 selectively turns on and off first backlight 45 andsecond backlight 46 based on results of the detection by open/closedetecting portion 49. When open/close detecting portion 49 detects thatcellular phone 1 is in the folded state, control portion 40 turns onsecond backlight 46 to increase the brightness of second display portion20. When open/close detecting portion 49 detects that cellular phone 1is in the open state, control portion 40 turns on first backlight 45 toincrease the brightness of first display portion 5.

As described above, when the user intends to take a picture of thesubject other than the user, first display portion 5 is used as afinder, and displays image data obtained by camera portion 21. In thisoperation, first backlight 45 is turned on to increase the brightness offirst display portion 5.

When the user intends to take a picture of the user himself, seconddisplay portion 20 is used as a finder, and second display portion 20displays image data obtained by camera portion 21. In this operation,second backlight 46 is turned on to increase the brightness of seconddisplay portion 20.

As described above, when cellular phone 1 is folder or opened, controlis performed to turn on the backlight supplying light to the displayportion to be used as a finder so that the displayed image becomes morevisible, and the visibility is improved.

Control portion 40 is provided with audio reproducing portion 40A forreproducing MP3 data. The MP3 data, which is taken into cellular phone 1by downloading or via a cable connected to a personal computer or thelike, is stored in third memory 52, and audio reproducing portion 40Acan reproduce the MP3 data for outputting it from speaker 28. Inconnection with operations for volume control, play/stop andforward/backward feeding in the MP3 data reproduction, the user canperform intended operations by pressing first operation button group 47or second operation button group 24. Control portion 40 and audioreproducing portion 40A changes the sound volume and the reproductionstate based on the press of first operation button group 47 or secondoperation button group 24.

Control portion 40 includes an illumination light amount control portion40B controlling a light amount of light portion 22, and a light colorchanging portion 40C changing a color of light emitted from lightportion 22. Illumination light amount control portion 40B allows manualcontrol of the light amount of light portion 22 when the user pressesfirst operation button group 47 or second operation button group 24.Illumination light amount control portion 40B may be configured toincrease or decrease automatically the light amount by determiningambient brightness in accordance with signals sent from camera portion21. Light color changing portion 40C can change the light color fromwhite, e.g., to red, green, blue, yellow, purple and light blue inaccordance with combinations of LEDs 22R, 22G and 22B. The light colorcan be changed to an intended color by operating the light emissionbased on the press of first operation button group 47 or secondoperation button group 24 by the user.

FIG. 9 is a table illustrating allocation of functions to second shutterbutton 23 and second operation buttons 24 a and 24 b. Cellular phone 1has two modes, i.e., a normal mode and a camera mode. After the power-onof cellular phone 1, cellular phone 1 operates in the normal mode. Forphotographing, cellular phone 1 must be switched to the camera mode foractivating the camera function and allowing use of the display portionas a finder.

In this embodiment of the invention, it is not necessary that theallocation to second shutter button 23 and second operation buttons 24 aand 24 b is made to allow the selection of all the functions and thechange of all the control magnitudes illustrated in FIG. 9. For example,a manufacturer of cellular phone 1 may allocate the selection/change ofonly necessary functions and magnitudes among them to the above buttons.In FIG. 9, buttons corresponding to shaded items are utilized asdecision buttons for selecting the functions, and buttons correspondingto unshaded items are utilized as various directional buttons forchanging the control magnitudes.

When there is no calling to or from cellular phone 1 after the power on,this state is generally referred to as a standby state. Second displayportion 20 displays a standby image set by the user or a standby screenrepresenting a clock or the like. Second display portion 20 can displaypictographs shown in FIG. 10 on the standby screen. By pressing secondoperation button 24 a, the user can turn on/off the pictograph display.

By pressing second operation button 24 a for one second or more, theuser can lock second shutter button 23 and second operation buttons 24 aand 24 b. The second shutter button 23 and second operation buttons 24 aand 24 b are arranged on the surface, which is exposed externally evenwhen cellular phone 1 is folded. Therefore, these buttons may be pressedunintentionally or accidentally due to contact or touch. By lockingthese buttons, it is possible to invalidate such unintentional pressingof second shutter button 23 and second operation buttons 24 a and 24 b.The user can release the locked state by pressing second operationbutton 24 a for one or more seconds.

When the user presses second operation button 24 b, light portion 22 isturned on while it is in the pressed state. When second operation button24 b is kept in the pressed state for one or more seconds, light portion22 changes to a continuous-on state. When the user presses the buttonfor one or more second in the continuous on state, light portion 22 isturned off. By these setting, the user can select the light-emittingstates of light portion 22 so that light portion 22 can be manuallyturned on/off, and can be always kept on similarly to a flashlamp. Thisimproves the operability and convenience. By selecting the controlmanner between the short press and long press, multiple kinds of controlcan be achieved without increasing the number of operation buttons sothat it is possible to suppress increase in cost due to increase in sizeand number of parts of the cellular phone.

When the user presses second shutter button 23 during the standby state,second display portion 20 displays, on its lower region, a left arrow, aselection item and a right arrow in this order. In this case, secondoperation button 24 b can be used for successive selection. Each timesecond operation button 24 b is pressed, second display portion 20successively displays, in a region between the arrows, wallpapersetting, image checking, light amount, light color, incoming call, mailarrival, end of display and wallpaper setting in this order. The secondoperation button 24 a is a backward selection button, and can beoperated to change the selection items in the order of mail arrival,incoming call, light color, light amount, image checking, wallpapersetting, end of display and mail arrival in this order. When userpresses second shutter button 23 functioning as the decision key in thissituation after selecting the item with second operation button 24 a or24 b, cellular phone 1 starts the operation for the item selected by theuser.

The wallpaper setting mode is a mode for setting a standby screendisplayed on second display portion 20. In this mode, setting can beperformed to display selectively image files such as wallpaper images ortaken images stored in third memory 52 of cellular phone 1, clockfunction, animation and JAVA (registered trademark) application. Eachtime the user presses second operation button 24 a or 24 b, the contentsdisplayed on second display portion 20 change. By pressing secondshutter button 23, the setting is completed, and the state of cellularphone 1 returns to the standby state.

The image checking mode is a mode for displaying and thereby checkingthe images, which are taken by camera portion 21 and are stored in thirdmemory 52. Each time the user presses second operation button 24 a(forward) or 24 b (backward), second display portion 20 successivelychanges the taken images displayed thereon. For displaying only thetaken images by discriminating them from other images, cellular phone 1may be preset to store the taken images into a predetermined folder inthe third memory, and the images stored in this folder may besuccessively displayed. Alternatively, flags may be assigned to files ofimages taken by camera portion 21 when storing such images, and only theimage files thus flagged may be displayed.

The light amount mode is a mode for controlling the light amount oflight portion 22. In the light amount mode, as shown in FIG. 11A, seconddisplay portion 20 displays, on its lowermost region, right and leftarrows as well as an indicator, which extends horizontally on the screenfor indicating a current amount of the light. Each time the user pressessecond operation button 24 a (bright) or 24 b (dark), the indicatorincreases or reduces its length, and at the same time, the light amountof light portion 22 changes. When the user presses the left button(second operation button 24 b) for a long time of one or more seconds,light portion 22 stops the light emitting. As described above, the usercan operate second operation buttons 24 a and 24 b to control the lightamount of light portion 22 without opening the folded cellular phone.Therefore, the operability and convenience can be improved.

By using buttons 23, 24 a and 24 b arranged on the rear surface of firstbody 2, the light amount of light portion 22 can be controlled, as willnow be described in accordance with a flowchart of FIG. 12. Thefollowing description will be given on the process performed after thelight amount control mode is achieved by performing predeterminedoperations to select the light amount control mode on the menu screen.

When cellular phone 1 enters the light amount control mode, controlportion 40 reads light amount data LX from third memory 52, and turns onthe light with the light amount based on light amount data LC in stepS10. When light portion 22 is already on, no change substantiallyoccurs. Control portion 40 determines whether the user is pressingbutton 23, 24 a or 24 b arranged on the rear surface (step S11). Whenthe button is being pressed, control portion 40 determines the button,which is being pressed by the user, and stores an identification numberof the determined button in the memory (step S12). Then, a counter valueI is set to zero for determining whether the user pressed the button foran ordinary time (short press) or a long time (long press) (step S13).After 10 milliseconds, counter value I is incremented by one (step S14).While the user is pressing the button, counter value I is incremented byone in response to every elapsing of 10 milliseconds (step S15). Whenthe user releases the button (YES in step S15), processing correspondingto the pressed button starts (step S16).

When the user pressed the right button, control portion 40 determinesthe time (counter value I), for which the button was kept in the pressedposition (step S17). When counter value I is larger than 100, controlportion 40 determines that the long press was performed. In this case,no definition has been prepared for the long press of the right buttonso that the process moves through step S27 to step S21. When countervalue I is equal to or lower than 100, control portion 40 determineswhether light amount LX is smaller than a maximum value of 10 (stepS18). When light amount LX is equal to or larger than 10 (NO in stepS18), the light amount cannot be increased further so that the processmoves through step S27 to step S21. If light amount LX is smaller than10 (YES in step S18), control portion 40 increments the value of lightamount LX by one (step S19), and turns on the light with light amount LXwhile displaying a bar of a length corresponding to the value of lightamount LX on the second display portion (step S20).

When the user pressed the decision button, control portion 40 determinesthe time (counter value I), for which the button was kept in the pressedposition (step S22). If counter value I is larger than 100, controlportion 40 determines that the long press was performed. In this case,no definition has been prepared for the long press of the decisionbutton so that the process moves through step S27 to step S21. Whencounter value I is equal to or lower than 100 (NO in step S22), thismeans that the user ends the light amount control so that controlportion 40 ends the light amount control mode to keep current lightamount LX.

When the user pressed the left button, control portion 40 determines thetime (counter value I), for which the button was in the pressed position(step S23). When counter value I is larger than 100 (YES in step S23),control portion 40 determines that the long press was performed. In thiscase, the long press of the left button means turn-off of the light sothat light amount LX is set to zero (step S26). When counter value I isequal to or smaller than 100 (NO in step S23), control portion 40determines whether light amount LX is lower than 1 or not (step S24).When light amount LX is zero, the light amount cannot be lowered furtherso that the process moves through step S27 to step S21. When lightamount LX is equal to one or more (YES in step S24), control portion 40decreases the value of light amount LX by one (step S25), and turns onthe light with decreased light amount LX while displaying a bar of alength corresponding to the value of light amount LX on the seconddisplay portion (step S20).

When the process moves to step S21, the process further moves to stepS28, and the process of controlling the light amount is performed again.

FIG. 11B shows, by way of example, the display of the bar of the lengthcorresponding to the value of light amount LX (step S20). In response toincrease of light amount LX by one, block images starting from the leftside increases by one, and all the block images are displayed when lightamount LX attains a maximum amount of 10. FIG. 11A represents an exampleof actual display on the second display portion. As described above,second display portion 20 visually displaying the control magnitude andthe control buttons are arranged on the same surface of cellular phone1. Thereby, the user can operate the buttons on cellular phone 1 in thefolded state while viewing the control magnitudes so that theoperability and convenience are improved. In the various control modes,which will be described below, the bar is displayed in a similar mannerso that the user can perform the operation while viewing the controlmagnitude on cellular phone 1 in the folded state.

A light color mode is a mode for changing the light color of lightportion 22. Light portion 22 includes red LED 22R, green LED 22G andblue LED 22B. Therefore, these LEDs can be selectively combined to emitthe light in red, green, blue, yellow, purple or light blue in additionto the white light. Each time the user presses second operation button24 a (forward) or 24 b (backward), light portion 22 changes the color oflight emitted therefrom. When the user pressed the left button (secondoperation button 24 b) for one or more seconds, and thus performed thelong press, light portion 22 stops the light emission. As describedabove, by manipulating second operation button 24 a or 24 b, the usercan change the light color of light portion 22 without opening cellularphone 1 in the folded state so that the operability and convenience areimproved.

An incoming call record mode is a mode of displaying a record ofincoming calls. Since third memory 52 has stored the record of incomingcalls, it is possible to display the time and caller after cellularphone 1 received an incoming call. Second display portion 20 displaysthe incoming call times and the telephone numbers or names of callers,and second display portion 20 changes contents of the incoming callrecord each time the user presses second operation button 24 a (newercall) or 24 b (older call). In this manner, the user can manipulatesecond operation button 24 a or 24 b to select the incoming call recorddisplayed on second display portion 20 without opening cellular phone 1in the folded state. Therefore, the operability and convenience areimproved.

A mail display mode is a mode for browsing a mail received by cellularphone 1. Second display portion 20 displays its title and sender. Whenthe user presses second shutter button 23, second display portion 20displays a body of the mail. Each time the user presses second operationbutton 24 a (next mail) or 24 b (previous mail), second display portion20 changes the reception record. The mail display mode ends when theuser presses second shutter button 23 for a long time. As describedabove, the user can select the received mail, of which contents aredisplayed on second display portion 20, by pressing second operationbutton 24 a or 24 b without opening cellular phone 1 in the folded stateso that the operability and convenience are improved.

With buttons 23, 24 a and 24 b arranged on the rear surface of firstbody 2, the user can display contents of the mail on second displayportion 20 in the following manner, which will now be described withreference to a flowchart of FIG. 13. The following description will begiven on process which are performed after the user selected the mailcontent display mode on the menu screen of second display portion 20through predetermined operations, and cellular phone 1 entered the mailcontent display mode. Except for selection on the menu screen, cellularphone 1 may be configured to enter the mail content display mode whenthe user pressed a button within five seconds after cellular phone 1received a mail.

When cellular phone 1 entered the mail content display mode, controlportion 40 reads the mail at the first position in third memory 52, anddisplays the sender and title of the first mail on second displayportion 20. In a mail box of the memory, values MX representing mailnumbers starting from the mail at the first position are allocated tothe mails, respectively. In this case, mail number MX is set to “1”(step S30). Then, control portion 40 determines whether the user pressedbutton 23, 24 a or 24 b arranged on the rear surface or not (step S31).When the button was pressed, control portion 40 determines or specifiesthe button pressed by the user, and stores identification information ofthe button thus determined in the memory (step S32). Then, counter valueI is set to zero for determining whether the user pressed the button fora normal time (i.e., short press) or for a long time longer than thenormal time (step S33). After 10 seconds, counter value I is incrementedby one (step S34). While the user is pressing the button, counter valueI increases by one in response to every elapsing of 10 milliseconds.When the user stops pressing of the button, a process corresponding tothe pressed button starts (step S36).

When the user pressed the right button, control portion 40 determinesthe time (counter value I), for which the button was pressed (step S37).If the value I is larger than 100, control portion 40 determines thatthe long press was performed. In this case, no definition has beenprepared for the long press of the right button so that the processmoves through step S47 to step S41. When counter value I is equal to orlower than 100, control portion 40 determines whether mail number MX issmaller than the maximum number of stored mails (step S38). When mailnumber MX is equal to or larger than the maximum number of stored mails,there is no next mail so that the process moves through step S47 to stepS41. When mail number MX is smaller than the maximum number of storedmails, control portion 40 increments mail number MX by one (step S39),and control portion 40 writes data for display in the display memory sothat second display portion 20 may display the sender and tile of themail bearing mail number MX (step S40).

When the user pressed the decision button, control portion 40 determinesthe time (counter value I), for which the button was pressed (step S42).When value I is larger than 100, control portion 40 determines that thelong press was performed. In this case, the long press of the decisionbutton means that the user intends to end the mail display. Therefore,control portion 40 ends the mail display mode. When the value I is equalto or lower than 100, control portion 40 displays the body of the mailbearing mail number MX on second display portion 20 (step S43), and theprocess moves through step S47 to step S41.

When the user pressed the left button, control portion 40 determines thetime (counter value I), for which the button was pressed (step S44).When counter value I is larger than 100, control portion 40 determinesthat the long press was performed. In this case, no definition has beenprepared for the long press of the left button so that the process movesthrough step S47 to step S41. When the value I is equal to or lower than100, control portion 40 determines whether mail number MX is larger thanone or not (step S45). When mail number MX is equal to or lower thanone, the mail bearing this number is the first mail so that the processmoves through step S47 to step S41. When mail number MX is larger thanone, control portion 40 decrements the value of mail number MX by one(step S46). For displaying the sender and title of the mail of mailnumber MX on second display portion 20, control portion 40 writes datafor such display in the display memory (step S40). The process moves tostep S41, and further moves to step S48 so that control portion 40repeats the processes for displaying the mail.

As described above, the user can use three buttons for cellular phone 1to perform the operations for forward/backward display of the sendersand titles of the mails, display of mail body and ending of the maildisplay mode.

Cellular phone 1 enters the incoming call record mode or the maildisplay mode when the corresponding selection item is selected duringthe standby state. In addition to this selecting operation, the user canselectively achieve such modes by pressing second shutter button 23 whenreceiving a call or a mail. Second display portion 20 performs specificdisplay for a predetermined time after receiving a call or a mail. Ifthe user presses second shutter button 23 when this specific display isperformed, cellular phone 1 can enter the incoming call record mode orthe mail display mode without displaying the foregoing selection items.

Since cellular phone 1 provided with television tuner 59, second displayportion 20 can display television images. When the television images aredisplayed, the user can operate second operation buttons 24 a and 24 bto select the channel or to control the sound volume. The user canselect the intended operation from the channel selection and the volumecontrol by pressing shutter button 23. As described above, when the userwatches the television on second display portion 20, the user can changethe channel without opening cellular phone 1 for operating numericbuttons or the like, but can change the channel by manipulating secondoperation buttons 24 a and 24 b while keeping cellular phone 1 in thefolded state so that the operability and convenience are improved.Further, when listening to a sound of the television program withcellular phone 1, the user can change the volume without openingcellular phone 1 for operating numeric buttons or the like, and canchange the sound volume by manipulating second operation buttons 24 aand 24 b while keeping cellular phone 1 in the folded state so that theoperability and convenience are improved.

The user can manipulate shutter button 23 and second operation buttons24 a and 24 b to reproduce the MP3 data stored in the third memory ofcellular phone 1. As described above, when the user listens to the audiodata with cellular phone 1, the user can change the tune or song to bereproduced without opening cellular phone 1 for operating numericbuttons or the like, and can change it by operating second operationbuttons 24 a and 24 b so that the operability and convenience areimproved.

Description will now be given on the operation of second shutter button23 and second operation buttons 24 a and 24 b in the camera mode. Whenthe user performs the long press of second shutter button 23 duringstandby, camera portion 21 is activated, and cellular phone 1 enters thecamera mode. When the user presses second shutter button 23 in thecamera mode, the shutter operates.

When the user presses second operation button 24 b, light portion 22changes the light color in the order of white, red, green, blue, yellow,purple, light blue and white in response to every button pressing, andkeeps the on state only while second operation button 24 b is beingpressed. When second operation button 24 b is continuously pressed forone or more seconds, light portion 22 changes to the continuous onstate. When second operation button 24 b is pressed for one or moreseconds in the continuous-on state, light portion 22 is turned off. Asdescribed above, depending on the short press or the long press ofsecond operation button 24 b, it is possible to select the light colorof light portion 22 as well as the on/off states of light portion 22 sothat the operability and convenience are improved. By changing thecontrol in accordance with the short press and the long press, itbecomes possible to perform multiple kinds of control without increasingthe number of operation buttons, and it is possible to suppress increasein cost, which may be caused due to increase in size and number of partsof cellular phone 1.

When the user presses second operation button 24 a, setting can beperformed in the camera mode. In the example illustrated in FIG. 8, whenthe user presses second operation button 24 a one time, letters of“ZOOM” are displayed at the lowermost region in second display portion20. By subsequently pressing second shutter button 23, which functionsas the decision key in this embodiment, cellular phone 1 enters the zoomcontrol mode. Alternatively, if the user does not press second shutterbutton 23, but continuously presses second operation button 24 a, themode changes in the order of the zoom control mode, brightness controlmode, light amount control mode, light color mode and ending of control.When the intended control item is displayed, the user presses secondshutter button 23 functioning as the decision button to place cellularphone 1 in the intended control mode.

The zoom control mode is a mode for controlling the zooming in theshooting operation. Similarly to the light amount mode alreadydescribed, second display portion 20 displays, at its lowermost region,left and right arrows as well as an indicator, which extendshorizontally on the screen for indicating the current zooming state.Each time the user presses second operation button 24 a (zoom-in) or 24b (zoom-out), the indicator increases or decreases in length, and at thesame time, the zooming state is controlling. When second shutter button23 is pressed after the zooming control, the control mode ends, itbecomes possible to operate the shutter by pressing second shutterbutton 23.

The brightness control mode is a mode for controlling the brightness ofthe taken image. Similarly to the light amount mode already described,second display portion 20 displays, at its lowermost region, left andright arrows as well as an indicator, which extends horizontally on thescreen for indicating the current brightness. Each time the user pressessecond operation button 24 a (bright) or 24 b (dark), the indicatordecreases or increases in length, and at the same time, control portion40 controls the brightness of the displayed image.

In the above example, the brightness is controlled before the shutteroperation. However, the timing of the brightness control is notrestricted to this. For example, the second display portion may displaya user checking screen, on which the user can determine whether thebrightness control is to be effected on the image already taken or notbefore storing the image. When the user requests the brightness control,the cellular phone enters the brightness control mode. In this case, theimage of which brightness is controlled by the user can be stored inthird memory 52. If the image control is allowed before storing thetaken image, control of tones and touches of images as well asapplication of image ornaments such as a frame can be effected by usingsecond shutter button 23 and second operation buttons 24 a and 24 b, inaddition to the brightness control of the taken images. As describedabove, the uses takes image, and processes the taken image while viewingit on second display portion 20 before saving the image, whereby theuser can store the image, which is already subjected to the imagecontrol or processing. Accordingly, when the user intends to controland/or process the taken image immediately after the shooting, it is notnecessary to read the image, which is already stored, and to effect theimage control/processing on the image thus read so that the operabilityand convenience are improved.

The light amount mode is a mode for controlling the amount of lightemitted from light portion 22. Second display portion 20 displays, atits lowermost region, left and right arrows as well as an indicator,which extends horizontally on the screen for indicating the currentlight amount. Each time the user presses second operation button 24 a(bright) or 24 b (dark), the indicator decreases or increases in length,and at the same time, the light amount of light portion 22 changes.

The light color mode is a mode for changing the light color of lightportion 22. Since light portion 22 has red LED 22R, green LED 22G andblue LED 22B, these LEDs can be combined to emit the light, e.g., inred, green, blue, yellow, purple and light blue in addition to white.Each time the user presses second operation button 24 a (forward) or 24b (backward), light portion 22 changes the color of light.

Another embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 14. A cellularphone 70 shown in FIG. 14 is provided at a rear surface of a first body71 with camera portion 21 and light portion 22 located near hinge 4 aswell as second display portion 20 spaced from hinge 4. A multi-button72, which is a distinctive feature of cellular phone 70, is arrangednear a side of second display portion 20 remote from hinge 4.Multi-button 72 corresponds to an integrated button of five buttons,i.e., a shutter/decision button 72 a, an up button 72 b, a down button72 c, a right button 72 d and a left button 72 e. Components, which arethe same as those of cellular phone 1 already described, bear the samereference numbers.

FIG. 15 is a table representing allocation of functions of multi-button72.

Cellular phone 70 has two modes, i.e., an ordinary mode and a cameramode. After the power-on, cellular phone 70 is in the ordinary mode. Fortaking pictures by the camera, the user must change cellular phone 70 tothe camera mode for activating the camera function and using the displayportion as a finder.

According to multi-button 72, the user can press up button 72 b and downbutton 72 c for selecting various control items, and can press leftbutton 72 e and right button 72 d for changing control magnitudes in thesetting modes selected with up button 72 b and down button 72 c. Forexample, when the user presses down button 72 c one time during standbyin the ordinary mode, light on/off setting is selected. When down button72 c is subsequently pressed two times, the image checking mode isselected. When right button 72 d is pressed in the image checking mode,second display portion 20 successively displays images, which were takenby camera portion 21 and are already stored in third memory 52.Conversely, by pressing left button 72 e, second display portion 20successively and reversely displays the images.

Without opening cellular phone 70, as described above, the user canselect the control items such as light on/off and image checking mode byoperating up button 72 b and down button 72 c, and can change thecontrol magnitude by operating right button 72 d and left button 72 e.Selection of the control items is independent of selection of thecontrol magnitudes. This facilities the operation by the user. Also,selection of the control items and selection of the control magnitudescan be performed while keeping the close state, and it is not necessaryto open the cellular phone for such selection and change so that theoperability and convenience are improved. Further, second displayportion 20 displays images taken by camera portion 21. Therefore, theuser can perform selection of various control items, change of controlmagnitudes and processing for the images taken by camera portion 21while keeping cellular phone 70 in the folded state. Consequently, theoperability and convenience are improved.

In this embodiment described above, up button 72 b and down button 72 care buttons for changing the control items. This is not restrictive. Forexample, all buttons 72 a-72 e of multi-button 72 may have functions asdecision buttons for on/off selection of pictograph display, key-lock,light on/off and others.

FIG. 16 is a table illustrating allocation of operations to multi-button72, which is modified based on the allocation in FIG. 15. In addition tothe normal mode and the camera mode, cellular phone 70 can be set toseveral operation modes, i.e., the mail display mode, TV mode and MP3play mode, which are independent from each other.

Cellular phone 70 can enter the mail display mode immediately aftercellular phone 70 receives a mail, or when the user performs a specificoperation (i.e., double-click of decision button 72 a). When the userpresses decision button 72 a in the mail display mode, second displayportion 20 displays a body of the latest mail. If the body of mail istoo long to display it fully on second display portion 20, displayportion 20 displays only a part of the body. The user can presses downbutton 72 c to scroll the body up on the screen of second displayportion 20 so that a subsequent portion of the mail can be displayed.Also, the user can presses up button 72 b to scroll the mail down on thescreen of second display portion 20 for displaying a beginning portionof the mail. The user can press left button 72 e to display an oldermail immediately preceding the mail, which is currently displayed. Theuser can press right button 72 d to display on second display portion 20a newer mail immediately following the mail, which is currentlydisplayed. When the user intends to end the mail display mode, the usercan double-click decision button 72 a so that cellular phone 70 returnsto the standby mode, and second display portion 20 displays the standbyscreen. As described above, even when cellular phone 70 is in the foldedstate, the user can operate cellular phone 70 to display the mail onsecond display portion 20, to scroll the mail and to display anothermail. Thereby, when the user intends to read the mail body, the user isnot required to open cellular phone 70 in the closed state for readingthe mail on first display portion 5 and for selecting the intended mailwith numeric buttons or the like. While keeping cellular phone 70 in thefolded state, the user can change the mail to be displayed by operatingright button 72 d and left button 72 e, and can scroll the displayedmail by operating up button 72 b and down button 72 c. Thereby, theoperability and convenience are improved.

When the user performs a specific operation, cellular phone 70 entersthe TV mode. According to the allocation of functions to multi-button 72illustrated in FIG. 15, right button 72 d and left button 72 efunctionas buttons for selection of the receive channel as well as buttons forvolume control. By pressing decision button 72 a, the function ischanged between the receive channel selection and the volume control. Inthis example, right button 72 d and left button 72 e are allocated tothe receive channel selection, and up button 72 b and down button 72 care allocated to the volume control so that the operations can besimplified. As described above, even when cellular phone 70 is kept inthe folded state, the user can operate cellular phone 70 to displaytelevision images by second display portion 20. The user can use thechannel buttons and volume buttons to change the channel and the volume.Thereby, the operability and convenience are improved.

When the user performs a specific operation, cellular phone 70 entersthe MP3 play mode. According to the allocation of functions tomulti-button 72 illustrated in FIG. 15, right button 72 d and leftbutton 72 e function as buttons for a play or reproduction operation aswell as buttons for volume control. By pressing decision button 72 a,functions are changed between the reproduction operation and the volumecontrol. In this example, right button 72 d and left button 72 e areallocated to the reproduction operation, and up button 72 b and downbutton 72 c are allocated to the volume control so that the operationscan be simplified. As described above, even when cellular phone 70 iskept in the folded state, the user can manipulate the reproductionoperation portion, i.e., right button 72 d and left button 72 e as wellas the volume control portion, i.e., up button 72 b and down button 72c, and thereby can reproduce and record the audio data. Thereby, theoperability and convenience are improved.

As described above, since cellular phone (70) is provided with theplurality of operation portions functioning as the decision buttons ordirectional buttons, various kinds of control, setting and change can beperformed even when cellular phone (70) is in the folded state, and theoperation of opening cellular phone (70) is not required. Further,cellular phone (70) can be used for various purposes while keeping itcompact, i.e., in the folded state so that the convenience is improved.Since an arrangement of buttons is devised, the operability of the useris improved.

Although the present invention has been described and illustrated indetail, it is clearly understood that the same is by way of illustrationand example only and is not to be taken by way of limitation, the spiritand scope of the present invention being limited only by the terms ofthe appended claims.

1. A cellular phone comprising: a first body; a second body; a couplingportion coupling said first body and said second body together, saidcoupling portion allowing folding of said first body and said secondbody with respect to each other; a first display portion arranged on asurface of said first body opposed to said second body in the foldedstate; a second display portion arranged on said rear surface anddisplaying an image with the image's top facing said coupling portion inthe folded state; an image taking portion arranged on said rear surface;an operation portion accepting an input of operation instructions whilesaid cellular phone is in the folded state; said operation portion beingassociated with a plurality of functions performed by said cellularphone and accepting an input of an instruction to change said pluralityof functions; a storing portion storing data to display an image in saidsecond display portion; and a control portion controlling said pluralityof functions based on said operation instructions accepted by saidoperation portion; wherein said control portion includes: displaycontrol portion causing said second display portion to display an imagebased on said data; detecting portion detecting an operation given tosaid operation portion; in response to the detection of said givenoperation, selecting portion selecting a function associated with saidoperation portion based on the duration of said detected operation; andfunction control portion controlling the function selected by saidselecting function.
 2. The cellular phone according to claim 1, whereinoperation modes of said cellular phone include a first mode and a secondmode, in said first mode, said image taking portion is capable ofshooting while said cellular phone is unfolded and folded, saidoperation portion is associated with a shutter function to shoot apicture when said cellular phone is folded, and said second displayportion displays an image shot by said image taking portion, in saidsecond mode, said operation portion is associated with a functiondifferent from the function associated with said first mode in thefolded state.
 3. The cellular phone according to claim 1, wherein saidcontrol portion outputs an inversion control signal for turning an imageupside down.
 4. The cellular phone according to claim 3, furthercomprising inversion processing portion processing an image data basedon the absence or presence of said inversion control signal to outputthe image data, wherein said inversion processing portion generates datato display half-rotated image of the image corresponding to the inputimage data if said inversion processing portion receives said inversioncontrol signal, and said inversion processing portion outputs the inputimage data without the data if said inversion processing portion doesnot receive said inversion control signal.
 5. The cellular phoneaccording to claim 1, further comprising an operation button foroperating display by said second display portion.
 6. The cellular phoneaccording to claim 1, further comprising: a button for controllingshooting conditions; and an operation button for controlling display bysaid second display portion.
 7. The cellular phone according to claim 1,further comprising an illumination portion on the same surface as saidimage taking portion, wherein when said operation portion is pressed fora short time, said illumination portion emits light only during thepressing, and when said operation portion is continuously pressed for atime longer than a predetermined time, said illumination portion changesinto a continuous-on mode.
 8. The cellular phone according to claim 1,further comprising an illumination portion emitting light in a variablelight color and arranged on the same surface as said image takingportion, wherein the light color changes when said operation portion ispressed for a short time, and said illumination portion changes into acontinuous-on mode when said operation portion is continuously pressedfor a time longer than a predetermined time.
 9. The cellular phoneaccording to claim 1, further comprising: an illumination portionemitting light; an illumination light amount control portion; and alight amount control button for controlling an amount of light of saidillumination portion.
 10. The cellular phone according to claim 1,further comprising: an illumination portion having a plurality of LEDs(Light Emitting Diodes) of different colors; a light color changingportion changing the LEDs emitting light in said illumination portion;and a light color changing button for changing the light color of saidillumination portion.
 11. The cellular phone according to claim 1,further comprising an incoming call record storing portion storing anincoming call record, wherein said operation portion accepts anoperation instruction to change the incoming call displayed on saidsecond display portion to another incoming call.
 12. The cellular phoneaccording to claim 1, wherein said control portion causes said seconddisplay portion to display contents of a received mail on the seconddisplay portion, wherein said operation portion accepts an operationinstruction to select and display contents of another received mail. 13.The cellular phone according to claim 1, further comprising: an antennareceiving a television broadcast wave; a television tuner connected tosaid antenna; and a television signal processing portion processing asignal output from said television tuner, wherein said second displayportion displays video signals subjected to signal processing by saidtelevision signal processing portion, and said operation portion acceptsan operation instruction to change a receive frequency of the televisionbroadcast wave.
 14. The cellular phone according to claim 1, furthercomprising: a speaker, wherein said operation portion accepts anoperation instruction to control a volume of said speaker.
 15. Thecellular phone according to claim 1, further comprising: a control itemselecting portion accepting an operation instruction to select an itemfor control a setting of said cellular phone; and a control magnitudeselecting portion accepting an operation instruction to select an amountof the control of said selected item.
 16. The cellular phone accordingto claim 1, wherein said second display portion displays contents of areceived mail, said cellular phone further comprising: a scroll buttonfor longitudinally or laterally scrolling the contents of the maildisplayed on said second display portion; and a selector button forselecting and displaying contents of another received mail.
 17. Thecellular phone according to claim 1, further comprising: an antennareceiving a television broadcasting wave; a television tuner connectedto said antenna; and a television signal processing portion processing asignal output from said television tuner, wherein said second displayportion displays television pictures, said cellular phone furthercomprising: a channel button for selecting television signal wavesdisplayed by said second display portion; and a volume button forcontrolling a sound volume.
 18. The cellular phone according to claim 1,further comprising: an audio data storing portion storing audio data; areproducing portion reproducing audio based on the audio data; areproduction operation portion performing an operation of reproducingsaid audio data; and a volume button for controlling a sound volume. 19.The cellular phone according to claim 1, wherein said second displayportion displays a control magnitude changeable by a user.
 20. Thecellular phone according to claim 2, further comprising an input portionaccepting operation instructions to control shooting conditions in saidfirst mode.
 21. The cellular phone according to claim 2, furthercomprising an input portion accepting operation instructions to processtaken images before saving the images in said first mode.
 22. Thecellular phone according to claim 1, further comprising a first decisionbutton, a second decision button and a third decision button foraccepting an input of an operation instruction.
 23. The cellular phoneaccording to claim 22, further comprising a fourth decision button and afifth decision button for accepting an input of an operationinstruction.
 24. The cellular phone according to claim 1, furthercomprising a decision button, a right button and a left button foraccepting an input of operation instructions.
 25. The cellular phoneaccording to claim 1, further comprising an up button, and a down buttonfor accepting an input of operation instructions.
 26. The cellular phoneaccording to claim 1, wherein said image taking portion, said seconddisplay portion and said operation portion are arranged at the rearsurface of said first body remote from said first display portion, andare arranged in this order starting from a position near said couplingportion.
 27. The cellular phone according to claim 1, further comprisinga plurality of numeric buttons and a plurality of operation buttonsarranged on a surface of said second body opposed to said first body inthe folded state.